Hot, dry dessert of West Texas, nothing like West Virginia!
Amy is not ready to jump into the cruel world. Her mother, recently remarried, is traveling to Europe with her new husband, and Amy is not invited.
Sent to her father, who she hasn't seen in ten years, she finds West Texas hot and dry, and she wantsw to go back to West Virginia.
Amy and her father, a ranch hand, move to a cattle ranch just down the road. She doesn't know that for years, Larry Trent has been living under an assumed name to keep his past from catching up with him. With his daughter around, he decides he has to move on and take back his own name.
Dusty, the owner of the ranch has fallen for her, but Amy cannot force her heart to love him.
Excerpt
Turning around quickly, she nearly knocked him over. “Dusty!” Her voice betrayed her. She was happy to see his familiar face.
He had been watching her from the time he saw her outside the glass doors, and had been just about to take
an arm and swing her around to face him. “Jes’ tell me what the hell yer doin’.” He took her suitcase as roughly
as he wanted to shake her.
Sheepishly, Amy answered with a grin. “I was about to go pick up the key and drive somewhere.”
“I’ve got the key and the only place yer goin’ is back to the ranch.” He took her arm roughly and headed her across the road. “I’ve a mind to put ya over my knee and treat ya like the child yer actin’ like.”
“Your place is where I was headed, and you’re hurting my arm.” She whimpered at the uncomfortable feeling from his hand around her arm, but wasn’t afraid of him.
“Good, `cause I wanna hurt more than just that. I can’t be runnin’ all over creation tryin’ to keep ya still. Now if ya had someone...”
“And maybe I do.” Amy interrupted, seeing fire in his eyes. “Just maybe...”
“Ya don’t. Ya told me yerself you never was able ta make friends fer not bein’ able to stay in one place long
enough. Ya can’t stay in one place now, `cause yer mother didn’t teach ya right.”
Amy hadn’t seen Dusty angry before. His grip loosened as they neared his car. Jack, the temporary ranch hand hired to take her father’s place, sat on the curb, waiting, cleaning out from under his finger nails with his pocket knife, as she had seen her father do many times. He stood when they approached.
Tossing the envelope containing the truck key and parking ticket at Jack, Dusty barked at him. “You find it
and take it back.”
“I’ll show him where it is.” Amy tried to follow the man, but was unable to.
“Oh, no.” Dusty’s grip tightened again. “Yer stayin’ with me.”
“I don’t think I want to be with you.” Amy winced and her possessor again relaxed his hold at the pain in
her eyes. Jack’s long legs had carried him half a parking lot away already.
“Well, yer stuck with me.” Dusty put her in the car, pointing a finger at her. “Stay put.” Around the car, he
set the suitcase in the back seat then himself behind the wheel. “We had to come over here anyway. Was afraid
you’d already left.”
“I couldn’t leave.” She pouted when he shut his door with extra force.
“Wha’da’ya mean?” His voice was still heavy with anger.
“Just that. I couldn’t. I bought my ticket, but the plane doesn’t leave until three. While I was waiting, some kid stole my purse.” Amy opened it to show him the emptiness. “All I got was the shell back. No ticket, no money, nothing.” Her anger had returned, as heavy as it had ever been.
A smile touched his lips. “I guess this is your welcome to a big city.”
“I’m glad you find it funny. I find it quite upsetting. My wallet contained the last pictures I had of my mother, among other things like money and my driver’s license.” The color on her cheeks wasn’t from embarrassment.
He turned the key and started the engine. Putting it in reverse and turning the upper part of his body to back out, he put his arm on the back of the seat almost on her shoulder, quietly saying, “I’m sorry. It ain’t funny. I just think yer cute when yer feathers get ruffled. At least ya won’t be drivin’ anywheres now.”
Amy turned away, changing the subject. “What did you mean about you having to come to Lubbock anyway? Where are we going?”
“Taday’s visitin’ day. Yer dad’s been askin’... No, asking ain’t the word. He’s been beggin’ me ta bring ya
over. He’s left messages with Sharon.” They were on their way out of the parking lot.
“He called? How come he didn’t talk to me? How come Sharon didn’t tell me? Why didn’t you tell me this morning?”
“And miss all this? Besides, most those questions are fer yer dad to answer. I have no idea, though I’d like
some answers myself.” He paused at a stop sign. “Hungry? I ain’t ate anythin’ since that good breakfast ya fixed.”
“That makes two of us. Without money...” Amy closed the empty purse and set it rather forcefully on the
seat next to her. Before she took her hand off the purse, Dusty’s hand came down on hers.
“Hope ya can lose that temper b’fore ya see yer dad. And I don’t think ya need ta tell him `bout taday. Ya don’t want ta upset him. He did ask me ta take care’a ya. I don’t want him ta think I can’t do that.” He pulled onto
the highway, going into downtown Lubbock.
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